Wrap-up:EU leaders endorse Juncker’s plan and show unity on Russia

EU leaders gathered in Brussels for their last summit meeting of the year on Thursday(18 December).They overcame divisions on Juncker’s investment plan.On Russia,new European Council President Donald Tusk pushed to have a united front and long-term strategy.

The meeting was the first one led by Donald Tusk,the newly appointed European Council president.Tusk took office on 1 December,replacing Herman Van Rompuy.

While the summit was initially planned to last until Friday,EU leaders ended talks on Thursday evening.

Background

EU leaders gather for the last EU Summit of 2014, in Brussels on 18 December. Ukraine and the Ebola crisis were on the agenda at the last European Council meeting, in October. Leaders will revisit the issues as well as discuss the Investment Plan put forward by the European Commission at the end of November.

At their summit on 29 August, EU leaders appointed Donald Tusk as the new president of the body gathering heads of state and government, the European Council. Tusk took office on 1 December; the December European Council is the first one chaired by the former prime minister of Poland.